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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shet 1. I. GRINNELL.

A-UTOMATIG FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS. N0.372,2Z0. Patented Oct. 25,1887.

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(No Model.)

2 SheetsSheet 2. P. GRINNELL. AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS.No. 372,220.

Patented 001;. 25, 1887.

JUL/Enhan- IJNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

FREDERICK GRINNELL, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND AUTOMATICFlRE-EXTIN'GUISHING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,220, dated Qctoloer25,1887.

Application filed December 30, 1886. Serial No. 222,986. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK GRINNELL, of the city and county ofProvidence, and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Automatic Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to those systems of fire extinguishers in whichthe distributingpipes located throughout the building to be protected,and provided with sprinklers open- 'ing automatically upon the occurenceof a fire in their vicinity, are filled with air under a lightpressure,the water being held in check by a valve of suitableconstruction under control of the light air-pressure. Such a system wasshown in Patent No. 249,171, granted to me November 8, 1881, where thewater-valve is shown as held closed through the medium of suitableintervening mechanism by the action of the air-pressure in thedistributingpipes, the release of the said pressure by the opening ofone or more of-the sprinklers allowing a weight to drop and open thewater valve.

My present invention consists of certain combinations of devices wherebythe light airpressure in the distributingpipes is made to act in directopposition to the water-pressure in holding the water-valve closed,thereby doing away with all intervening mechanism and rendering thedevice simpler and more reliable in operation.

My invention further consists of certain de tails of construction,hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a sectional view ofafire-extinguishing apparatus embodying my improvement, and showing thevalves in their normal or closed position. Figs. 2 and 3 represent,respectively, sectional views, in its open and closed positions, of amodified form of the apparatus. Figs. 4 and 5 show other modificavtions.

The distributingpipes 1 and the sprinklers 2 are of the usualconstruction, the sprinklers being of a character that will openautomatically upon the occurence of a fire in their vicinity such, forinstance, as are shown in various patents granted to me, in which thefusion of a soldered joint allows the internal pressure to force anopening.

1 Between the distributing-pipe 1 and the water-supply pipe 3, Iinterpose an intermediwater-s'upply pipe by the water-valve 5,controlled by a valve, 6, or its equivalent means, which, being exposedto the pressure in the distributing-pipes and suitably connected withunder the action of the water-pressure until the pressure in thedistributing-pipes is released by the opening of one or more of thesprinklers.

I have in Fig. 1 shown a valve, 6, connected to the water-valve 5 by astem, 7; butit is evident that there are other suitable means,substantial] y equivalents of those shown, that may be employed toaccomplish the same result.

In the modification shown in Figs. 2 and 3 I use a diaphragm, 6, forholding the watervalve closed, and both in this form and the one shownin Fig. 1 I make the member 6 enough larger in area than the water-valveto more than compensate, for the excess of the water-pressure per s uareinch over that of the air-pressure. The diaphragm is provided with awater-passage through its center, and this passage is normally closed bythe diaphragm seating down on a second valve, 27, sup ported upon the.water-valve. These valves 5 and 27 have a common stem, 7, the extensionsof which slide in guide-yokes 28, and the diaphragm is similarly guidedby yokes 29,embracing the valve-stem.

Fig. 4 represents another modification, and in this instance, instead ofmaking the member 6 larger in area than the water-valve, I give it amechanical advantage over the watervalve by causing it to act upon theouter end of a lever, the inner end of which bears down upon the stem ofthe water-valve. In this figure I have shown the member 6 as a piston,and I wish it to be understood thatI consider valves, pistons, anddiaphragms as equivalents for this purpose. The stem of the pistonpresses down upon the outer end of lever 7, fulcrumed, as shown, in thecasing, and at a point nearer the fulcrum the lever is connected to thestem of the water-valve, so that the light air-pressure above the piston6 is multiplied by this lever'age so as to withstand the much greaterwater-pressure, even though the piston may not be larger than thewaterate chamber or casing,4, separated from the k the water-valve,keeps thelatter from opening valve. A clieclev-alve, 27, closes a portbetween the intermediate chamber, 4, and the distributing-pipes, so asto restrain the light air-pressure, and yet permit the water to flowfreely to the distributingpipes when valve 5 opens.

In Fig. 5 a modification of the form shown in Fig. 1 is illustrated. Inthis form the valves 5 and 6 are formed in one single disk having twovalve-seats, and the intermediate chamber, 4, is reduced to a simpleannular space between the two seats. Thus it will be seen that the gistof this-invention consists of means for holding the water in check byopposing directly to the water-pressure the lighter air-pressure in thedistributing-pipes. The intermediate chamber, 4, is designed to containair or water under a pressure less than that in the distributing pipcs,preferably about atmosphericpressure, so that the movable member 6 willnot be prevented from exerting its proper pressure on the water-valve.To insure this I provide a drip-pipe, 8, which allows a free leakagefrom said chamber, so that even if the valve or valves should not fitperfectly tight the small amonntleaking past them would easily escape.This drip-pipe is preferably provided with a checkyalve, 9, which is soconstructed that any considerable increase in prcssuresuch as ariseswhen the water-valve is open\vill close the said pipe and thus preventthe further escape of water therethrough. This checkvalve consists of adisk, 10, resting normally on pins or studs 11, so as to allow of a freepassage of water around it, but closing up against a seat, 12, when thehead of water exceeds a certain amount. A pipe, 13, leads from the lowerpart of the distributingpipe and has a cock, 14, whereby the system ofpipes may be freed from water down to that point. The distributing-pipesmay be charged with air under pressure by attaching an air-pump to pipe15, and the gage 16 serves to indicate at any time the pressure in thesystem. A bypass, 17, having a stop cook, 18, enables one to turn thewater into the distributing-pipes and intermediate chamber when desired.

In order to prevent the valve from returning to the seat after once ithas opened I provide a stop in the form of a spring, 19, which normallyrests against a stud, 20, depending from the valve 6, and which passesin between said stud and another stud, 21, when the valve opens, andprevents it from closing. To close the valve it is then necessary totake out one of the hand-hole plugs 22 and push aside the spring, and indoingthis the attention is called to any sediment or other obstructionon the valve-seats. A red, 23, depending from the valve 6 through a holein the casing or chamber 4, passes through a ring, 24, to which isattached a cord or wire, 25, that holdsin check a suitable alarmmechanism, and releases the same when the valve lifts.

The water-valve is shown as a cup-valve in Fig. 1, because this form ofvalve allows of a certain amount of movement sufficient, say,

to release the alarm mechanisn1-before the water escapes. This form ofvalve also allows ofa more accurate fitting of the controllervalve 6. Itis desirable to have the water stand normally in the pipes about asshown, and it will be seen that the arrangement of pipes and cooks issuch as to leave it so.

Vhen a fire occurs in any part of the building, the nearest fusiblejoint is melted, and the air escaping through the sprinkler thus openedrelieves the distributing-pipes from pressure, and the water insupply-pipe 3, not being any longer opposed bya pressure above member 6opens valve 5, carrying with it member6,and, passing up through thedistributingpipes, discharges through the open sprinkler andextinguishes the fire.

The means which I employ for directly opposing the light air-pressure inthe distributing-pipes to the water-pressure of the supply-pipe consistsin every instance of a reciprocating cut-off, 6, acted upon by the lightairpressure, the said reciprocating cut-off in turn acting directly uponthe water-valve, giving, either by virtue of its superior area or itsgreater leverage, suliicient advantage to the light air-pressure to morethan overbalance the opposing water-pressure until such air-pressure isreduced by the opening of one or more of the automatic sprinklers.

The operation ofthe device is independent of any external or indirectmechanism, it depending solely upon the condition of the sprinklers andthe opposing pneumatic and hydraulic forces.

In describing the reciprocating cut-off 6 as acting directly upon thewater-valve to hold it to its seat, the word directly is used todistinguish this invention from other systems in which the release ofthe air-pressure simply allows other forces to be brought into actionfor forcibly opening the water-valve. It should also be understood thatit is essential to this inventipn that the distributing-pipes themselvesbe charged with air-pressure, so that a balance between the air andwater pressures may be effected entirely within the conduit and theprompt and certain opening of the water-valve insured by the simplerelease of one of these balancing-pressures.

By the expression light airpreSsure I mean air or gas under a pressurelight as compared with the water-pressure in the supplymains.

It will be seen that all the essential features of the device arecompletely inelosed within the walls of the conduits, so that they arerendered much less liable to molestation.

I do not make in this case any specific claims upon the constructionshown in Figs. 2 and 3, such claims having been made by me in anothercasefiled of even date herewith and serially numbercd 222,983.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is-'- 1. Thecombination of the water -supply pipe, the distributingpipe havinghermetically-sealed automatic sprinklers attached and charged with lightair-pressure, the watervalve closing the supply-pipe, a reciprocatingcut-ott' connected to the water-valve, having one side exposed to thelight air-pressure in the distributing-pipe and of sufficient area tobalance by said light air-pressure the waterpressure upon thewater-valve until released by the opening of the automatic sprinklers,and means permitting the passage of water past or around said valve andcut-off when so released.

2. The combination of the water-supply pipe, the distributing-pipehaving hermetically-closed automatic sprinklers attached and chargedwith light air-pressure, an intermediate chamber or casing under a lesspressure than that in the distributing-pipe, and a valve closing-aportbetween said intermediate chamber and the watersupply pipe, andconnected to a reciprocating cut-off between the said chamber and thedistributing-pipe of sufficiently large area to prevent by the lightairpressure to which it is exposed the opening of the watervalve towhich it is connected, whereby the decrease in the air-pressureconsequent upon the opening of a sprinkler will allow the water to openthe water-valve and operate directly upon the reciprocating cut-oft.

3. The combination of a water-supply pipe, a distributing-pipe chargedwith light airpressure, an intermediate chamber or casing between thetwo pipes normally open to the atmosphere, a water-valve closing anopening between the supply-pipe and said chamber, and a reciprocatingcut-off closing a larger opening between the distributing-pipe and saidchamber and connected to the water-valve, so as to hold it in its closedposition by the direct action of the pressure in the distributing-pipes.

4. The combination, with ,the water-supply pipe connected with a sourceof water under pressure and the distributing-pipes charged with airunder a less pressure, of an intermediate chamber having aboutatmospheric pressure, and a differential checkvalve or cut-offinterposed in said conduits, the smaller valve closing a port into thewatersupply pipe from the intermediate chamber, and the larger valveclosing a larger port into the distributingpipe from said chamber.

5. The combination of a water-supply pipe, the distributing-pipe chargedwith light airpressure, a valve closing the Water-supply pipe andopening by the direct action of the water-pressure when released, areciprocating cut-off connected directly to said valve and acted on bythe light air-pressure to keep said valve closed, and a check or stoppreventing the closing of the valve after it has been opened by thewater-pressure, substantially as described.

FREDERICK GRINNELL.

Witnesses: W. H. THURSTON W. H. KNIGHT.

